Before the 2019 season, the New York Giants signed center Spencer Pulley to a Spencer Pulley signed a three-year, $8,025,000 contract — $2,325,000 of which was guaranteed.
That was based off Pulley’s 2018 performance where he played 13 games at center, starting nine after starter Jon Halapio was lost to a broken leg. But in 2019, Pulley fell out of favor as Halapio returned to form. Pulley played just 95 snaps and his only start was when Halapio got hurt again.
This year, the Giants decided to keep Pulley on the roster but wanted an upgrade and converted guard/tackle Nick Gates to center and selected Shane Lemieux of Oregon in the fifth round of the draft.
Gates started the season opener against Pittsburgh and was exposed, while Pulley was on the bench. The Giants reaffirmed their commitment to Gates, and all five of the starters who played every snap on Monday night, after the 26-16 loss to the Steelers.
“The only way we can improve on any of that is really by going out there every day in practice and putting our players in positions they’re going to have to play in in the game,” said head coach Joe Judge. “We have to do a better job as coaches of giving them the looks they’re going to see. Pittsburgh is a good team, they make adjustments, they’re not going to stay in one front throughout the game, they’re going to give you different looks. Chicago is going to be much of the same story. So, we’ve got to do a good job, starting with myself, of making sure our players see everything they’re going to face possible.”
Jordan Raanan of ESPN reports that Giants renegotiated Pulley’s contract recently.
Housekeeping item: Giants recently renegotiated C Spencer Pulley’s deal. Was due $5.5M over next 2 years, $2.75M each. They removed 2021 + dropped his base from $2.325M (non-guaranteed) to a fully guaranteed $1.625M. So Pulley took a $700K pay cut, but got some gtd money.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) September 15, 2020
As Raanan alludes, Pulley essentially took a pay cut and lost a year on the deal, but converted the remainder in a fully guaranteed salary here in 2020.
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